194 Report on the Cheese Factory System ; 
cheese factories. I can do so better by giving you general explana- 
tions mixed with statistical details, than by categorical answers. 
In the first place it makes no difference, pecuniai ily or otherwise, 
to the patrons, whether a factory is founded on joint-stock prin- 
ciples, or owned and run by the cheese-maker. The cost to the 
patrons for making boxes, bandages, anotta, and the use of 
the factory, is never less than 2 cents per lb. sale weight, and 
sometimes a trifle more. When a stock company hires a cheese- 
maker, for labour in making, curing, and boxing, he receives 
from 75 to 90 cents per 100 lbs., the company finding buildings 
and machinery, rennets, anotta, boxes, bandage, &c., and charge 
the patrons 2 cents per lb. ; and this leaves about half a cent 
per lb. for dividend upon the capital invested in the factory and 
fixings. A large factory of from 400 to 600 cows pays the maker 
75 cents per 100 lb., and small ones pay more, some as high as 
90 cents. The dividends in stock factories range from 10 to 
20 per cent, per annum. 1 do not know when a stock company 
hires the head cheese-maker by the month or season, although 
it may exist ; they invariably in my section let the making of 
the cheese to him, and he hires the help, which always consists 
of men and women, boys and girls being of no account in a 
cheese factory. The men-help receive from 20 to 25 dollars 
and board per calendar month ; the women-help from 2 to 3 
dollars per week with board. All our factories make cheese on 
Sunday throughout the season, thus making it a galley-slave 
business. At the ordinary price of cheese, it is usually con- 
sidered by the patrons to take one daj's milk in every week to 
pay the charges at the factory. In a factory of 400 cows, the 
curing- room of two floors is 80 feet long, 30 feet wide, and the side 
walls 15 feet high ; the roof one-third pitch, and covered with 
shingles. The vat-room is 30 feet square, and 12 feet depth of 
side, with plenty of room for three vats, cooler, and presses. I 
think that a roof of thatch on curing-rooms would be preferable 
to any other, although 1 know of none so made ; it would produce 
a more equable temperature. The total cost of a factory for 400 
cows w ill be about 3000 dollars (600/.) ; 2000 dollars for build- 
ings, and 1000 dollars, for machinery. The buildings are of wood, 
and there would be thiee vats at 250 dollars each ; twenty screw- 
presses, at a cost of 150 dollars ; twenty hoops equal 60 dollars ; 
and one cooler, equal 10 dollars. Vainnot Ralph's Patent Equa- 
lizer Vat is the best vat made in this country, because it is the 
simplest. The factory which I have been detailing, had on an 
average last season 387 cows; the maximum distance the milk 
was drawn was 3 miles, the average distance 11 mile; it received 
during the season of 18()8, 1,260,953 lbs. of milk, and made 
126,453 lbs. of cured cheese; the whey was taken home every 
